1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disposal apparatus of combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition and a disposal method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional refrigerants for refrigeration apparatus such as a freezer mainly comprise dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12) and an azeotropic refrigerant R-500 composed of R-12 and 1,1-difluoroethane (R-152a). When the refrigerants are individually discharged into air to reach the ozone layer in the global sky, the refrigerants destroy the ozone layer with the high ozone-destroying potency thereof The destruction of the ozone layer is triggered by chloride (CL) groups in the refrigerants. Therefore, alternatives to these refrigerants have been proposed, including those with a reduced content of chloride groups, for example chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22); refrigerants with no content of chloride groups, for example difluoromethane (HFC-32, R-32), trifluoromethane (PFC-23, R-23), pentafluoroethane (HFC-125, R-125), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a, R-134a), and 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (HFC-143a, R-143a); fluorocarbon-series. refrigerants without any content of chloride group and hydrogen (FC-series refrigerants); or mixtures thereof.
These fluorine-series refrigerants have been known to have a risk of the destruction of the ozone layer and a global warming effect, and the risk and the effect both are larger by about 1000-fold those of carbon dioxide. Currently, therefore, a proposition is made about the recovery and subsequent decomposition of these fluorine-series refrigerant gases from freezers and refrigerators to be intentionally disposed because of no use, by combustion or recycling after refinement.
However, the recovery, refinement and decomposition of these fluorine-series refrigerant gases are Laborious and highly costly, disadvantageously.
So as to overcome the problems, the inventors have previously proposed a refrigeration apparatus charged with a combustible refrigerant composition containing an HFC-series refrigerant or an FC-series refrigerant and a hydrocarbon, and a disposal apparatus for combusting such combustible refrigerant composition in atmosphere and a disposal method thereof. Disadvantageously, however, these fluorine-series refrigerant gases are not readily decomposed. Therefore, the fluorine-series refrigerant gases incompletely decomposed are discharged together with discharge gas into air.
The present invention can overcome the problems. It is an object of the invention to provide a disposal apparatus of combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition and a disposal method thereof, wherein hardly decomposable fluorine-series refrigerant gases are readily combusted and decomposed to avoid atmospheric discharge of non-decomposed fluorine-series refrigerant gases together with discharge gas.
A first aspect of the invention relates to a disposal apparatus of combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition, for use in drawing out and disposing a combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition containing a fluorine-series refrigerant and hydrocarbons having 1 to 5 carbon atoms from a refrigeration apparatus packed therewith, the disposal apparatus comprising a combustion furnace, a refrigerant feed unit for drawing out a combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition from the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration apparatus and feeding the composition to the combustion furnace, an air feed unit for feeding fresh air for combustion So the combustion furnace, and a water vapor feed unit for feeding water vapor to thee combustion furnace, wherein the combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition is combusted and decomposed in the presence of water vapor in the combustion furnace to be then disposed.
A second aspect of the invention relates to a disposable apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, additionally comprising a disposal unit of discharge gas generated during the combustion and decomposition of the combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition in the presence of water vapor.
A third aspect of the invention relates to a disposal apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the. Refrigerate feed unit comprises a pressure regulator and a combustion means connected to the pressure regulator.
A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a disposal apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein hydrocarbons having 1 to 5 carbon atoms are contained at about 6% by weight or more to about 90% by weight or less on the basis of the whole composition.
A fifth aspect of the invention relates to a disposal apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the disposal apparatus is of a portable type.
A sixth aspect of the invention relates to a disposal apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, the mixtures of combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition with fresh air are continuously combustible in an atmosphere at a temperature of 800xc2x0 C. or higher.
A seventh aspect of the invention relates to a disposable method of combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition, comprising combusting and decomposing a combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition containing a fluorine-series refrigerant and hydrocarbons having 1 to 5 carbon atoms in the presence of water vapor at an inner furnace temperature of 800xc2x0 C. or more.
An eighth aspect of the invention relates to a disposal method according to the seventh aspect of the invention, the combustible fluorine-series refrigerant composition comprising a combination of an inflammable HFC refrigerant and hydrocarbons having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or a combination of an inflammable HFC refrigerant, a combustible HFC refrigerant and hydrocarbons having 1 to 5 carbon atoms.